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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23398597">Come Together</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/spibby/pseuds/spibby'>spibby</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Critical Role (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, College AU, Developing Friendships, Friendship, Gen, Self-Indulgent, Spoilers, beau centric, i really just wanted to write something where they spend time together, ive messed with all their canon backstories but, just in case, shes the easiest to write in my opinion, soft, they're still fantasy races</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 05:41:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,558</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23398597</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/spibby/pseuds/spibby</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In the town of Zadash, there's a university with a sterling reputation and a student body to match. It boasts a wide variety of course options, rigorous but accommodating classes, and an excellent success rate among graduates. In fact, it has one of the best graduate programs in Magical Studies on the continent. </p><p>Beau doesn't know much about all that, but she's grateful to be away from home for the first time. Soon enough she's making friends and getting herself into trouble. But, then again, what else is college for?</p><p>A rag-tag group of students simply going about their days. Surely nothing drastic could happen... Right?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Beauregard Lionett &amp; Caleb Widogast, Beauregard Lionett &amp; The Mighty Nein, The Mighty Nein &amp; The Mighty Nein</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chance Encounter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I've been working on this for quite a while now, but honestly I'll admit I don't really know where it's going. It's probably the most self-indulgent thing I've written in a while, but I've been having a lot of fun, so I hope you enjoy! </p><p>Tags are subject to change, but there won't be much in the way of shipping (outside of canon-typical flirting).</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Noise thrummed through the air as what could only graciously be called a band played discordant music at the back of the pub. Once they made it through the doors, the tip about no one carding at this place holding true, Jester immediately made her way in the direction of the man on the piano. Beau snorted at the image of the tiefling pestering them into letting her play but didn’t bother following. Instead, she made her way to the bar and ordered something large and strong, something the bartender called their special with a wink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The gesture threw her off, old habits causing suspicion to rise up, but the man had already made his way to the other customers. Beau dropped in, rolling her shoulders, and reminded herself of her task for the evening -- getting wasted in an effort to celebrate passing her first set of tests. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been only a few weeks since Beau had left home, going to the furthest college that would accept her, and she was honestly still settling in. She hadn’t thought she’d end up at Zadash, let alone make it into a program like the Cobalt Soul, but since it meant scholarships and a healthy distance from home, she jumped on the opportunity. Still, adjusting had been more difficult than she expected. Many nights were spent in the library studying, with Jester bringing her coffee and homemade pastries at odd hours, smelling like oil paints and turpentine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beau took another moment to appreciate how lucky she had gotten with her rooming assignment. Jester might be a tad bit messy, sure, but Beau didn’t mind. It was cool to finally get to not give a shit about keeping her room neat and tidy. She doesn’t have much herself, but sometimes Beau throws her pants on the floor at the end of the day simply because she can.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jester is the first person Beau has ever lived with this closely. She’s all laughs and bubbles and after Beau got over her fear that the tiefling would learn not to like her, she let herself get sucked into her whirlwind pace. So, now she finds herself with a hoard of firsts; first friend, first roommate, first place to call her own, first set of exams over and done with, all without a hitch (hopefully). So, a celebration!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was halfway through her drink when Jester found her again, just like Beau knew she would eventually. Beau grinned, already feeling looser, glad that she overheard that upperclassman talking about this place, gladder that Jester seemed happy here despite her self-imposed sobriety. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Beau greeted, “How was the band?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The guy with the guitar was a jerk, but the piano man was super nice and let me play,” Jester giggled, “But he made me stop after a few notes, which doesn’t make sense since I’m so good at it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beau hid her smile behind her drink. “I’m sure you are. You probably just inspired him to play again,” she offers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’s probably it,” Jester nodded seriously, “I wonder if they have any milk here?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two spend the next several hours drinking, chatting, and dancing. Beau stops ordering alcohol early in the evening. Instead, she downs water between songs before Jester drags her back out. It felt wrong to be the only one drunk when Jester came here just for her and she’s having a blast being just past tipsy anyhow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Beau!” Jester squeals as a loud, mostly bearable song fades, “You’re such a good dancer!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beau smiles with just enough sincerity to feel a bit bashful when she hears a dull chuckle from behind her. She whirls around, embarrassed, to see perhaps the most ostentatious purple tiefling she could imagine clearly looking directly at her and Jester. His red eyes didn’t have much in the way of pupils, but the shit-eating grin he bears causes them to crinkle in a way that pings Beau as infuriating rather than dangerous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The fuck’re you laughing at,” she spits out, a voice in the back of her head warning her that she might be overreacting. But, then, she had never been much good at heeding warnings anyway. The tiefling lifts his hands defensively, but his expression doesn’t shift from amusement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woah, now, no need to get your panties in a twist, I mean no offense,” he says. Beau can’t tell if he’s doing it on purpose, but he drips with insincere innocence. She frowns. This guy pushes all of her buttons, and he’s barely known her a minute. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a beat, Jester pokes her head around Beau’s shoulder to see what’s happening. The man’s eyes seem to flick over to the new audience, so to speak, and his grin softens into more of a smile before he sweeps into a low, flashy bow, not caring that they still stood in the center of a crowded dance-floor in the middle of a pub. Beau hears Jester gasp softly in her ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My name is Mollymauk Tealeaf,” he says just before the music starts up again and he has to raise his voice. “But my friends call me Molly!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beau grumbles, something like “you have friends?,” but the music and Jester tune her out. It wasn’t her best comeback anyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Jester!” Jester shouts directly into Beau’s ear, “This is Beau! We’re students at Zadash, what about you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe not so loud!” Beau calls, turning so that Jester isn’t pressed against her anymore. Her roommate takes that as an opportunity to surge forward and hold out a hand. Molly mauk takes it gently, rotates it in his hand and kisses it. Jester giggles, her eyes squinting playfully, but Beau is pretty sure he’s still only trying to piss her off. She decidedly does not scoff or roll her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Mollymauk straightens out, he releases Jester’s hand and shifts casually, still unbothered by the crowd moving and bumping into them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am a student at Zadash,” he confirms jovially, “I study theatre.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh!! That is so cool, you’re an actor~” Jester pitches her voice down in the way that means she’s sort of teasing and sort of impressed and entirely overjoyed. Mollymauk laughs, because Jester is charming and likeable,and Beau lets go of some of her resentment because people that can see that are typically worth knowing. The other two have been chattering for a few minutes now, and Beau relaxes, smiles a little, even. This Mollymauk seems to be a character, all eclectic jewelry, painted nails and exaggerated movements, but he makes snide remarks that make Beau laugh unexpectedly and Jester seems to like him, so she leads the tieflings to the edge of the room. They find an empty table and sit down, ignoring half-full drinks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They shouldn’t have left if they didn't want the table to be taken,” Mollymauk says easily when he catches Beau looking. Then, with a thoughtful look, he swiftly gathers the four remaining glasses and pours their contents into one. With a smirk, he catches Beau’s gaze, lifts the cup, and downs his horrifying concoction in one go. He doesn’t break eye contact until he drains the last drop, smacking his lips. Jester cheers and claps, and Beau has to school her expression into something a little more neutral. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was…” she tries.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Captivating? Magnificent?” Mollymauk suggests.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Disgusting,” she settles decisively, “But maybe a little impressive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mollymauk laughs. Beau grins, pleased with herself, pleased with the whole evening really. Pretty soon the three of them are laughing uncontrollably. Anytime they start to settle down, one of them, usually Jester, will make a face and they’re at it again. Molly fits in like an old friend. He clearly delights in being irritating, but he takes as good as he gives. It’s fun, like having a childhood friend that they’ve only just met. All of the excitement of learning more about him, with none of that awkwardness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s been nearly an hour of laughter and casual conversation when Molly looks over Beau’s shoulder and waves at someone. Beau tries to subtly check to see who it is, while Jester whips around in her seat, subtlety be damned. When she catches a glimpse of the figure, Beau has to keep herself in her seat, too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman was tall, built, and looked like she could snap Beau in half. Incidentally, this was something Beau liked in her women. Her breath caught in her throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yasha, darling, there you are! I’d been wondering where you wandered off to,” Molly says. Beau hears an immediate shift in his tone. He wasn’t cold before, but there’s a warmth  between these two, one that she feels distinctly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are the one that wandered off, Molly,” Yasha responds in a voice soft and smooth like a riverstone. She doesn’t look all that bothered about her friend’s disappearance, despite her words, although she gives a start when Jester turns to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi there! You’re really tall, and you look really strong. I’m actually pretty strong too, even though I don’t look it, believe me. I’m Jester!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yasha looks briefly overwhelmed, both by the amount of words and the speed at which they’d been thrust in her direction. When she gathers herself, she smiles softly. Beau’s eye twitches a little, and Molly smirks at her from across the table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, Jester. I’m Yasha.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have really pretty eyes, did you know that?” Jester smiled. Beau wonders how she can give compliments like it’s that easy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh… thank you?” Yasha responds. She pauses briefly, turning awkwardly back to Molly. “I’m sorry, but I think…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, yes, it’s time to go home,” Molly finishes for her. He stands, adjusting his coat before turning back to the table. “Ladies, hate to break up a good time, but I have work tomorrow, and my friend here is on a mission to keep me from my bad decisions.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it, Molly, I’m sure we’ll see each other at school,” Jester says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was nice to meet you, Jester…” Yasha trails off, looking at Beau, who clears her throat before speaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Beau.” It’s all she could manage, but Yasha flashed her that same smile nonetheless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Beau,” she repeats, and then the two were off, waving goodbye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a few moments, Beau looked at Jester only to see her smirking and wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She,” Beau admits easily, “was hot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The matter of fact tone makes Jester laugh, which Beau counts as a win. The two head home themselves less than an hour later, sober (mostly) and relaxed. Not a bad start to college, Beau thinks.  </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Happy Happenstance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Fjord joins the fjray.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Beau had been hanging out in the room by herself, listening to music and scrolling on her phone mindlessly, when Jester gets back. In her usual fanfare, the tiefling throws open the door and leaps ceremoniously into the pile of cushions and pillows she calls her bed. Being that this was the typical entrance, Beau didn’t even bother to look up until she hears a soft knock on the open door. Jester pops up quickly, and Beau watches a half-orc shift his weight in their doorframe. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come in, Fjord, meet my roommate,” Jester calls. The half-orc steps inside, a touch hesitant.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Beau says. She figures this must be Molly’s mysterious roommate, the one with the strange accent. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi,” he says back, “You must be Beau. Heard a lot about you. All good things, of course”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Knowing Molly, that can’t be true, but yeah, that’s me. Beauregard Lionett, at your service.” She throws an arm out lazily in a faux curtsy, or as much of one as she can manage in her reclined position. The guy laughs politely and nods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m Fjord. Just Fjord. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, and all that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Molly was right about the accent thing. It’s like a mixture of posh and homegrown, and it throws Beau off. She’s quiet as he takes a seat at the desk-slash-bedside table between the two beds and turns back to face Beau after a moment. Fjord-just-Fjord is tall, not quite burly, the type of guy that Beau used to avoid on principle, and he hunches a bit in his seat in the women’s complex common room as he talks, like he’s uncomfortable and avoiding attention as best he can. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cobalt Soul?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He asks his question lightly after apparently noticing the writing on Beau’s tank top, trying to walk the line between polite and curious. Beau could appreciate the effort, and was going to give the basic spiel despite her first impressions when Jester beats her to the punch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Beau’s so cool, she’s, like, in this sort of honors’ program, except that while her classes are super hard and stuff she </span>
  <em>
    <span>also </span>
  </em>
  <span>has to train all the time, so she’s also super buff. I think it’s some kind of pre-military thing, but I’m not sure because she won’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>tell </span>
  </em>
  <span>me, Beau never tells me </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jester pouts as she finishes her tirade, waving her hands and tail for emphasis.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey! I do so tell you things! Just not… everything. I gotta keep some secrets or I’ll lose my ‘mysterious cool chick’ charm.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That, and it’s embarrassing to admit she gets her ass kicked most mornings before her peers are even out of bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jester opens her mouth to speak, but Fjord cuts her off by coughing loudly. Beau thinks she might like him. It’s clear that he’s polite, in a way that lets her know he knows just what to say to move a conversation the way he wants. She sort of wishes she had enough tact and charm to work a room like that. She starts to understand why Jester had been talking about this guy since they met in Intro to Sociology. When they found out he was actually Molly’s roommate, well. Jester wasted no time deciding they had to be best friends. Beau had rolled her eyes at the time, but she could see herself spending more time with the guy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“An honors program with a built in gym regime,” Fjord says, catchin Beau’s eye, “That’s mighty impressive. Meanwhile, I can’t even choose a major.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Beau can’t help but smile as his words have the likely intended effect of distracting Jester, who immediately offers to help the half-orc find a major that he likes and starts listing every one she can think of. About five minutes in he starts to look a little overwhelmed by all the attention, eyes desperate when he looks at Beau again. A better person would probably return the favor and change the subject.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Beau has always been a bit of an ass.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He could always double major, Jessie.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She grins at the subsequent gasp from her roommate and groan from Fjord. She gets the feeling that she’ll be spending a lot more time around these two. Might as well show her true colors from the start, she figures. They spend the next hour pestering Fjord about any and every passing interest he has ever had, although Jester’s enthusiasm stems from a far more genuine place than Beau’s, until Jester’s mom called her. It didn’t take more than a moment for her to tell them that she would be back soon before heading to the rooftop. Jester typically talked to her mom alone, which had surprised Beau a bit at first. Now, she understood that Jester didn’t like people to see her when she was sad, and she couldn’t help feeling emotional after talking to her mother. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is it true that Jester’s mom is…” Fjord broke into Beau’s thoughts after a moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A famous prostitute?” Beau supplied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was going to say ‘escort,’ but,” Fjord said, clearly a little embarrassed, “Yes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. I’ve talked to her a few times. She’s like, crazy hot.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fjord choked a little and looked away. Beau smiled. She couldn’t help wanting to mess with him when he made it so easy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s really nice, though. She obviously loves Jester a lot, they talk every week or so.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s good,” Fjord said. Beau thinks she noticed a flash of something in his expression, a familiar loneliness maybe, but it was gone quickly, if it existed. There was more than likely the chance she was just projecting her own feelings onto the man, so she said nothing. They stay silent for a bit longer until Fjord seems to gather himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” he says, and it feels a little like he started speaking without knowing where he was going, but he charges onwards anyhow, “I hope I haven’t imposed, or gotten in the way of anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh?” Beau blinks, “Nah, man, you’re good. I’m not busy or anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good! Because I was going to ask if you wouldn’t mind taking me to the gym with you sometime.” He puts it out there plainly, like he had been thinking about it for a while already. The chair he sits in creaks as Fjord shifts his weight to face her. His arms are folded across his chest and his legs are crossed and Beau wants to make fun of him for looking like a dad, or maybe a frat guy, but she’s still a little thrown.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How do you do that?” she asks with more heat than she means. Fjord falters.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do… what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, like,” Beau flaps a hand out, but makes sure that her tone is even. “How can you talk like that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fjord stares at her, so Beau huffs. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s like you know exactly what to say to not make things weird,” she tries again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m pretty sure I’m just making conversation,” Fjord says, but Beau just leans forward and points at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, exactly,” Beau asserts, “We literally met an hour ago, but you’re already okay with asking me to help you work out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that a problem? Because you don’t have to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ugh, no that’s not what I’m saying.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Beau sighs and slumps over again. She doesn’t take her gaze away from Fjord and, to his credit, he doesn’t flinch away either. The fact that he seems as comfortable in the silence as she puts her words together just feels like more proof that he’s better at this than she is. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re good at making people feel comfortable,” she settles on, “ to the point that it’s actually really impressive.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fjord chuckles a little, but he’s rubbing the back of his neck with one hand now, and he flicks his eyes away for the first time. What’s worse is his bashfulness seems </span>
  <em>
    <span>genuine, </span>
  </em>
  <span>which means that it comes across as </span>
  <em>
    <span>endearing</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and Beau rolls her eyes because of course Jester would like this guy, of course Mollymauk only ever had good things to say. It’s like those two are attracted to people with low self-esteem. She doesn’t want to think about what that might mean for herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll help you work out,” she says, “If you help me figure out how to be better at talking to people.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fjord looks her way again. He seems to judge that she’s serious about the deal so he shrugs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright. I can work with that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jester pops back inside now, eyes a little puffy but smile wide and steady. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey guys! What’s up?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Beau wants me to teach her how to be nice,” Fjord says, playing up the false innocence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, fuck you!” Beau responds immediately, “I’ve changed my mind, you’re the worst.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jester looks between the two of them, repeatedly swinging her head, eyes wide. She starts to giggle, and, really, that was the end of it all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You won’t be laughing when I drag your ass out of bed at 6am tomorrow,” Beau grumbles, “I always start with a three mile run for warm up, so you better be ready.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Three miles?” Fjord starts, “Wait, you run three miles every day?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Beau preens, “Is that too much for you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fjord lets out a low whistle and shakes his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Guess I better be ready, then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jester’s giggles have died down so she crawls back into her bed and sits cross legged facing them both. She’s still tittering a bit, but she looks very self-pleased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does this mean you’re friends now?” She asks excitedly, like nothing else could make her happier.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, Jessie,” Fjord answers with a soft eye-roll, “We’re friends.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good! That means I can make us a group chat! Gimme your phone, Fjord.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next morning, Beau called the half-orc at 5:30 to wake him up and found that he was already waiting for her at the spot they had designated the night before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ready to go?” she asked. Fjord glanced at her from the side of his eye as he finished stretching.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Go easy on me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aye, aye, captain,” Beau responded with a lazy salut.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then they were off. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I've always loved Fjord and Beau's friendship, and that love only grows stronger as he becomes more comfortable with being sassy to her. They're just great bros! </p>
<p>Still not entirely sure where I'm going with this, but I hope everyone enjoys reading it because I sure have fun writing it!<br/>Hopefully, see you all again soon.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We see a little of what it must be like to live with Molly, and Beau tries hard to ignore how much she loves her friends.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I write these out of order, so sometimes chapters take a little while, cause I've gotta write something that would make sense sequentially haha... But I'm still having fun, so hopefully everyone does too. </p><p>Anyway, I've tried to come to some sort of weird compromise between Fjord's accents. That pretty much means you get to watch me struggle to write dialogue for him that sounds like something he would say... sorry!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It becomes a regular thing that Fjord comes with Beau on her morning runs, although he can’t join her for the actual Cobalt training immediately after. Instead, Beau makes sure to meet with Jester and Fjord for breakfast every morning. Sometimes Molly joins them, but only when he doesn’t feel like going to his morning classes. It’s actually way less than what Beau would’ve expected until she finds out his 8 AM is a theatre course called Character Studies. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re surprisingly diligent,” Beau tells him one morning. “You must like acting a lot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s no surprise, Beau,” Fjord says. It’s a reminder, but Beau brushes it off. She’s never felt the need to be nice to Mollymauk. He returns the favor in kind. It’s actually one of her favorite things about him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do love performing,” Molly replies, ignoring Fjord like Beau knew he would, “And some might even say I’m good at it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you’re really talented,” Jester says in between spoonfuls of yogurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you ever seen him perform?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, no… But he read my cards for me once! And he was right, too, he can totally see the future.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, darling,” Molly says before Beau can form any sort of response, “But </span>
</p><p><span>actually I don’t get on stage all that often.”</span><span><br/>
</span> <span>“Really?” It came out more curious than skeptical, and Beau knew she had slipped up. Except, Molly doesn’t jump on the opportunity to make fun of her interest like he normally would.</span></p><p>
  <span>“Really, really,” he says like he’s a little far away. “It’s much more interesting helping other people come to life. I’d much rather have a hand in the whole process and help whoever needs it, whenever they need it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s almost noble,” Fjord admires. Molly smiles, eyes sharp again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, I like to think so! Anyway, my focus is in Production and Management, so it makes sense I would be backstage most of the time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woah, like a director?” Jester’s tail flicks behind her as she leans forward, closer to Molly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not quite,” he says with a laugh, “At least, not yet. Stage manager, more like. It’s my job to make everyone else’s job easier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beau hates how easy it is for Molly to say things that make her like him more. She knows he's doing it on purpose, but at the same time he’s always genuine about everything he does. She frowns. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, look at the time,” Molly continues after a moment, “I hate to leave but, alas, it’s time for me to go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A chorus of goodbyes starts as Molly stands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have a good day, children,” he says. Then, raising his voice, “Especially you, handsome!” This is directed at Fjord, who rolls his eyes even as Molly smacks a kiss on his cheek. The show is ostentatious, meant entirely for those around them to notice, to convince them of a passionate love affair between the two roommates. The gag has been so long-running Fjord doesn’t even blush anymore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodbye, Molly,” he says more pointedly, and the tiefling waves a final time before leaving the cafeteria. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why does he do that again?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I was stupid enough to ask him advice once,” Fjord answers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jester giggles, then purrs, “Love advice~!” Fjord sighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you, Jessie, it was more like the opposite.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does that mean,” Beau interjects. She hasn’t heard the story, only knows that it has something to do with an old girlfriend and that it makes Fjord uncomfortable to talk about. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fjord sighs again, but he looks at Beau with a half-smile, more sheepish than embarrassed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Last year, I, uh… got in with some folks I don’t like to think about much anymore. There was a girl, Avantika, we…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fucked?” Beau said at the same moment that Jester purred, “Made love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fjord coughs and looks away. “Yeah, more or less. Anyway, I realized pretty quick that that wasn’t what I wanted, and that I wasn’t who I wanted to be, so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You cut it off,” Beau finishes, but Fjord shakes his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I tried! But, you know, I was a freshman, and she was a little… Intense. I asked Molly what I should do, and he told me not to worry, he would take care of it. The next day he plopped himself into my lap at dinner and laid one on me, full on, in front of everyone. He started spewing crap about being so happy to be together, finally, it was fuckin’ embarrassing.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beau scoffs, “That sounds like Molly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Worked, though. The next day Avantika and her whole crew acted like I didn’t exist.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love that story,” Jester sighs, “But it’d be better if you and Molly, like, actually fell in love or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, not gonna happen,” Fjord rejects outright, “We know way too much about each other. We have definitely seen each other at our worst.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Too bad, you could’ve made Molly slightly more bearable,” Beau complains. Jester smacks her on the arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh stop, you love him as much as we do. You can’t lie to me, Beau, I know you too well!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She says it so matter-of-factly it makes Beau flush. She grumbles to herself, folding her arms over her chest, but she doesn’t disagree. Fjord laughs at the two of them, a common sight, really.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Besides,” he says after a moment, “If I’m totally honest, it often feels like he’s completely outpacing me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get it, I think,” Jester says, “Like he’s almost too incredible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. He likes to act like he’s not, but he’s always thinking of other people and how to help them. Most days, I can barely remember to look after myself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beau never knows what to say when Fjord’s low self-esteem comes out from where he’s usually hiding it. It only happens every so often, like now, but she can’t think of anything that would sound sincere coming from her own mouth, so she lets it settle in the air. Jester, though, has always been pretty good at knowing exactly what to do. She puts her hand on top of Fjord’s where it rests on the table and smiles at him gently. It amazes Beau just how careful the girl can be, just how calm and patient she turns when someone needs her to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you’re doing pretty great,” she says, and Fjord takes a moment to look at her before he nods, once. Then, the moment breaks again, having lasted no more than a minute. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” the half-orc starts, “Enough about that. Beau, how was training this morning?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beau lets herself be distracted, moving with the current of the conversation with an ease she doesn’t feel with too many people. She lets out a huff and launches into a story about Dairon being extra critical with her form that morning. It feels easy, like breathing, like she hasn’t felt in quite a while. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who even cares if my stance is off if I can still kick the ass of whoever’s coming at me? But they still made me do it like eighty times.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They each take turns after that, complaining and chatting about the stupid little things that happen throughout their day, Jester’s teachers giving her a hard time about talking in class (“They’d probably give you some more leeway if you stopped pranking them.” “Shut up Fjord.”), and Fjord’s advisor telling him he has to choose a major within the month, things like that. Before she knows it, Beau has to sprint in order to make it to her first class on time. She pretends to be more irritated about it than she actually is. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I miss Molly... Also, this is probably the closest I'll ever get to writing a Fake Dating fic lol. </p><p>Also, hey, my tumblr is @braveisnott if you wanna come chat. I'm friendly, so let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. See You in My Dreams</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Gang's First Sleepover</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Slightly longer chapter today! Hope everyone enjoys.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>She and Caleb had been sitting in the library for an ungodly amount of time. The popping of her joints breaks a sleepy silence when Beau stretches them, stiff, above her. A quick glance reveals that Caleb is still hyper focused, eyes sharp, so she doesn’t say anything. The sun from the window indicates late afternoon and she slumps down in her chair and closes her eyes against it. She feels very relaxed, despite the work she’s been doing, but tired in that restful way after productivity. With eyes still closed, Beau tilts herself back even further, hands finding themselves at the back of her neck as she slips into a slow doze. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dream comes slowly, like it always does. It starts off simple, images of her childhood home, larger, larger than in reality, distorted and cold. Her father’s voice, calm and collected, but they’re arguing, she can tell. They were always arguing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Beauregard,” her dream-father says to her, clipped. He’s not frowning, but he’s shaking his head, resigned, and Beau’s heart clenches painfully. That was always the worst part. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can’t you even do this much?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everything shifts, distorting and spinning, and suddenly Beau is a child again. Her father is tall, looming, dissatisfaction ever clearer from this perspective. He sneers, “Useless!” and raises his arm. Beau flinches away, turns, but the pain never comes. Suddenly she’s in her mother's arms. She’s hushing her, running her hands through her hair, up and down her arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shhh, Beauregard,” her mother coos, “Shhhhh….” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Beau realizes she’s crying, her sniffles drowned out by her mother. She tries to pull away to wipe at her eyes, but her mother’s arms are vice-like grips, holding her frozen to the spot. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lemme go,” Beau whispers, but she finds her voice can’t carry. Her mother’s murmurs grow louder even as her grip tightens, and Beau feels sick, constrained, frightened. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shhhhhh, Beauregard,” her mother repeats, but the sound turns irritated, venomous, and again, “Beauregard…” The hold on her is painful now, piercing, and she can’t breathe, she can’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathe, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and- </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Beauregard.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes snap open. She’s still in her chair. Her arms drop back down to her side and she clears her throat to cover the sound of her gasping. Caleb had called her name, woken her, and now still was looking at her for a response. The sun still shines through the window, warming her suddenly too-chilled skin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, what?” she asks once her heartbeat slows, and his frown twitches further downward. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I asked if you were alright,” Caleb responds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh,” she stammers, “Yeah, yeah. Fell asleep, sorry. You ready to go?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stares at her for a few moments more, as he always does when trying to decide what to say. He seems to settle on nothing and silently begins packing his things. Beau does the same, casually swiping Caleb’s bag full of books to carry for herself and leaving her own much lighter backpack for him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, Beauregard.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He always calls her by her first name, despite her efforts to correct him when they first met a few months back. She realizes she stopped fighting him on it a long time ago. It doesn’t feel like pressure or expectation when he says it, it never has. In his voice, soft but not gentle, per se, her name sounds like concern. A touch of frustration. Begrudging fondness. And yet, always, </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> like respect, like recognition given freely, as if it wasn’t even difficult, wasn’t even in question. In his voice, her name turns from the indication of a disappointment, the lackluster daughter, to something closer to a vexing but well-loved sister. Her chest feels warmer than usual, like breathing had become difficult again, so she shoved that line of thinking back into the depths where it was easier to ignore. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure you are alright?” Caleb asks again, quieter now even as they’ve left the library and make their way across campus.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” Beau says, surer now, “But thanks.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Caleb nods. He seems satisfied, and a little of that warmth returns to her chest when Beau acknowledges just how well he can read her. She wants to reach out, to thank him properly for caring. Instead, she punches him on the arm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“C’mon. Let’s go get dinner. Jessie texted, said she wanted us to bring her pastries.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Caleb rubs his shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nott wants meat.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course she does,” Beau grumbles goodnaturedly, “They’re probably together, too. Couldn’t they be easier to buy for?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re both very forthright with what they want,” Caleb counters, “It’s just that what they want isn’t always…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Convenient?” Beau supplies.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not sure sweets or meat should be considered ‘dinner.’”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re right, but fuck it. Let’s just go to the campus convenience store, pick up some of those mini donuts and some jerky. Disappoint Fjord for a while.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Caleb catches her eye and widens his gaze to be comically serious. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>““What he doesn’t know can’t hurt him,” he play-whispers, and Beau can’t help but laugh at the childishness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright let’s go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She ends up buying an armload of various donuts and pre-packaged baked goods to bring for their makeshift dinner. Caleb insists on paying for a couple extra bags of overpriced processed meat, on top of the three packages meant for Nott. Beau would’ve put up a fight, but she knows the goblin girl will slip some extra coin into Caleb’s bag later on. They have their own way of doing things, Beau tries not to interfere. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where’re we doing dinner,” Beau asks as they exit their campus store. Caleb just shrugs, so she fishes her phone out of her pocket. The voice that answers is scratchy and high-pitched.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello??”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nott, why do you have Jester’s phone?” Caleb looks over at the mention of his roommate. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jester is… busy at the moment,” Nott says. Beau frowns.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s she doing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s-” Nott gets cut off and Beau heards a muffled voice in the background followed by a loud thump. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Beau?” Jester’s voice comes through the phone now, “What’s up?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re just calling to ask where you guys are. What were you doing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was showing Nott how long I can do a handstand! We’re at home, though. Wait, Nott’s talking, lemme put you on speaker.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is Caleb with you,” Nott asks as soon as she’s able.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, he’s here,” Beau catches his eye again. They had stalled their movement until they figured out where they were going, so she tells him, “They’re at my place.” Caleb nods and they start heading in that direction. It shouldn’t take too long, but Beau stays on the phone, half-listening to the other two chat about something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We bought dinner, kind of,” she says to the girls after a few minutes. Jester makes a happy noise. “And we’re almost back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my gosh I just had the best idea, Beau! We should totally have a sleepover!” Jester exclaims.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A sleepover?” Nott repeats.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes!” There’s movement on their side. “We can watch movies and braid our hair and eat snacks and paint our nails and it will be so much fun!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Beau hasn’t heard Jester this excited about an idea since… well, since this morning, when she considered the possibility of unicorn hamsters. She and Caleb had made it to the dorm building, so she pulls out her key.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not sure we have enough space for a sleepover, Jessie,” and Caleb sends her a confused expression. He mouths the word back at her, but Beau just shrugs and holds the door open for him. “We’re inside now, by the way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, well, when you get up here I’ll show you how much room there is, and we’ll have a super fun sleepover, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, okay,” Beau says, hanging up the phone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sleepover?” Caleb asks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, she sounds, like, super excited about it, I dunno man.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the two enter the room, they see Jester in the midst of shoving all of her bedding onto the floor in a massive pile. She whirls around.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“See, we can just sleep on the floor, or I guess even share the beds, although they are pretty small…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Caleb!” Nott calls from her place perched on the desk in between their beds, “Did you bring meat?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi to you too, Nott,” Beau says as she steps into the mess that is her room. Nott waves her way but is clearly distracted. Caleb reaches into the plastic bag and tosses her some of the jerky. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you think?” Jester asks, “Will you stay over? Nott already said she would.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Caleb belatedly realizes that she’s speaking to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh…” he trails off, glancing at Nott briefly, “Ja, okay, sure.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yay!” Jester claps, tail swooshing behind her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I really hate to be this person, but I’m still not sure this will work,” Beau points out. “Where would we watch a movie?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“On my laptop!” Jester answers, “We can all just sit really close!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We could do it at our apartment,” Nott pipes up, “Right, Lebby?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Caleb sighs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am not so sure, Nott. Our apartment is… a bit of a mess at the moment, since someone was experimenting with different chemicals in our living room.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His voice is gentle but Nott still shrinks in on herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And she’s very sorry about that,” she says pointedly. Caleb smiles and puts a hand on hers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do not mind, but it might not be the best for company.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, that’s okay,” Jester interrupts, “Because we can just do it here!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do what here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The voice comes from the still open doorway. It scares the shit out of Beau, who tenses and spins around to see who it is, but it’s just-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Molly!” Jester yells. The purple tiefling smiles, resting a shoulder against their door frame.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing here? How did you get in?” Beau asks with a squint.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was in the area, thought I’d stop by. As for getting in, well, I have my ways,” he answers with a wink, pushing himself from his position and sauntering into the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He bribed the janitor to get access,” Nott snitches immediately, “I saw him chatting them up a few weeks ago.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mollymauk lets out a theatrical gasp, pressing his hand against his chest in mock-insult. He’s still smiling, though, so Beau can only assume he’s glad to be caught.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I would never </span>
  <em>
    <span>bribe</span>
  </em>
  <span> anyone, darling! No, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>charmed</span>
  </em>
  <span> them with my stunning good looks and winning personality!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are pretty great,” Jester agrees. “Oh, Molly! Do you want to join our sleepover?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Beau groans.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A sleepover!” Molly trills, “That sounds like a perfect way to spend the evening, of course I’ll join.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, now we definitely don’t have enough space,” Beau huffs, hands on her hips. Even Jester has to admit that their tiny double is not the ideal place for a five person slumber party.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Umm…” she says, “Maybe we could do it at your place, Molly?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm, well my handsome roommate is currently writing a very important paper, and you know how he gets.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They did know. Fjord tended to get increasingly stressed out as paper deadlines move closer, closing himself off more and more until the thing gets submitted. His ADHD comes with a hefty amount of auditory hypersensitivity, so a group gathering when he was working is pretty much out of the question. Jester deflates some, properly stumped now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, balls.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now, now, one moment, let me make a phone call,” Molly soothes. Beau steps around him to finally close their door before going to help Jester put all of her blankets and pillows back onto her actual bed. Molly makes himself comfortable on Beau’s side of the room, sitting cross-legged on her mattress and pulling out his phone. It’s a gauche, glitzy looking thing, a flip covered in purple rhinestones and a peacock feather design, hand painted. Molly eventually holds it to his face. Jester fidgets, so Beau hands her a pack of donuts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello there, Mr. Clay! Are you home for the evening?” Molly’s voice has that subtle, soft quality it takes when he’s talking to Yasha. Beau furrows her brow as she looks at him, but Molly either doesn’t notice or ignores her. Caleb also seems to have picked up the change. He looks lost in thought, like he’s considering something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s nice. And is Yasha home?” Molly continues. Beau perks up. She hasn’t seen Yasha in a while, pretty much since that first night they met. The woman is hard to miss around campus, what with being nearly seven feet of muscle, but she’s always too far to say hello. Beau isn’t sure she even remembers her, if she’s honest. Jester hands her a mini powdered donut with a sly grin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excellent! Would it be alright if I brought company over? We’re looking for a place to host a slumber party.” Molly asks like it's that simple. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nott says, “Isn’t that like, super rude? Just inviting yourself and everyone over to someone else’s house?” But she’s smiling a bit incredulously and Molly smiles right back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mhmm. Mhmm. Four plus myself. No, we’ll bring food and blankets and the like. Magnificent! We’ll see you soon, then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Molly snaps the phone closed. Beau gets the feeling the only reason he hasn’t updated it by now is for the effect of that click punctuating the end of the conversation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s that!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s what, exactly?” Beau asks.</span>
</p>
<p><span>“I got us a place to stay for the night.”</span><span><br/></span> <span>“Yasha’s place?” Jester sounds even more excited at the possibility of seeing her again.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>“Her apartment, yes. That was her roommate, Caduceus. He says you’re all more than welcome to come, he’d be happy for the company.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seriously, isn’t it against some sort of social code to invite yourself over to other people’s places?” Nott asks again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cad doesn’t really live by normal societal rules,” Molly responds, like that isn’t the most vague way of answering that question. “You’ll love him, I promise, everyone does.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good enough for me!” Jester declares, turning to Beau with wide, sparkling eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine, but you have to get us there,” Beau tells Molly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It takes longer than it should to gather stuff together, mostly because Nott and Molly don’t move from their respective seats, and Caleb still looks like he’s thinking about something. Jester and Beau are left to wrangle the same blankets and pillows they had just picked up off the floor into a semblance of a pile for them to carry. Then Jester takes another twenty minutes throwing various things into her overnight bag, hair ties, her nail polish, her favorite pajamas plus an extra set for Nott. Beau takes the time to grab their phone chargers and a sweatshirt, throwing them into her bag with the various pastries. Eventually, Caleb grabs a few pillows, handing one to Nott so he can carry a few blankets too. Beau takes the rest and they follow Molly to his car. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They pile in, Beau, Caleb and Nott all sharing the back, Jester up front. Mollymauk’s radio had been broken before any of them knew him, before he even got the car, if he was to be believed, on a classic jazz station. Rather than turn the whole thing off, he always kept the volume on low so riding in the beat-up four-door always felt like getting into an elevator. “Part of her charm,” he always said. The drive was five, maybe ten minutes long. Jester and Molly spend the time talking, Nott chiming in every once in a while, but Beau doesn’t pay much attention. She’s still feeling… something, from her dream earlier. She tries not to think about it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hasn’t heard a word from her parents in the three months she’s been away. Winter break was coming up soon. Beau wonders if she should even consider going back home. As soon as the thought enters her mind, she dismisses it. There’s nothing there for her. She knows that. The feeling of her mother stroking her hair comes back to her in that moment, and she hates herself for letting that be the thing she remembers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A small hand pokes Beau’s leg. Looking over, Nott’s big eyes peer over her. The yellow always seems to glow in low lighting. Nott takes Beau’s hand and presses something into it. The object feels smooth, weighty despite being small, and when the goblin pulls back she leaves a pebble of what looks like sea glass behind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You like green, right?” She asks. It’s quiet. Gentle. Beau doesn’t know what to make of it, but she nods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can keep that. I don’t need it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then Nott turns away again, answering a question Jester called from in front. Beau looks over the glass, feels it in her palm. She runs her fingers across it, moving it in her grip, until the car stops at its destination.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter will be the sleepover. Poor Fjord missing out on all the fun...</p>
<p>I'll show how Caleb and Beau meet at some point too, don't worry! Let me know what you think.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Sing Me to Sleep, Softly Now</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jester gets her wish and Beau still can't help loving her friends. What else is new?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This fic is the longest thing I've ever written, actually, and it's wild how easily I swing between simple dialogue and overly complicated narration lol. It's still fun for me, though, so I'll keep posting it for anyone who's enjoying it!</p>
<p>This chapter is just 4k of softness. It was also the first chapter I had to write completely between updates, so sorry for the delay! I have a lot of little scenes written here and there, so some updates will be faster than others. Anyway, I hope you like it!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The person that opened the door to the third-floor apartment Molly led the group to was, frankly, unlike anyone Beau had ever seen before. <em> Tall</em>, she thinks first. Then, <em> pink </em>. She had never met one before, but Beau figures the intimidating figure must be a firbolg. She wonders if the pink hair is natural or dyed. </p>
<p>“Oh, hello there,” the firbolg says. His voice is low and gravelly, but calm, with an undercurrent of genuine pleasure. So. Not intimidating, then. </p>
<p>“Good afternoon, Mr. Clay,” Molly says, “May we come in? I’ll do introductions inside, if you don’t mind.”</p>
<p>“Of course, that’d be nice,” Clay holds the door open and retreats further into the apartment. “I’ll put on some tea for us all.”</p>
<p>The group shuffles inside, some more awkwardly than others. The apartment is cozy, not huge but clearly lived in. They've entered into what must be the main living area, and Beau quickly catalogues the space. A table with two chairs stands next to an open doorway, a couch and armchair rest leisurely around a coffee table facing an old television, and in the back is a hallway with one visible doorway before it continues on out of sight. Clay closes the door behind them. They all can’t help but stare at the lumbering man as he makes his way towards what must be the kitchen. They stay silent, even Jester.</p>
<p>“Come, put your stuff down,” Molly breaks the quiet, motions towards the large, well-worn couch.</p>
<p>“What the fuck,” Nott whispers, not moving from her spot, not tearing her gaze away from the doorway of the kitchenette. “Who the fuck is he? Why is he so huge?”</p>
<p>She sounds agitated in the way she gets when she’s nervous. Caleb places the things he’d been holding on the couch where Molly had suggested so that he could offer a free hand to the goblin. Nott takes it, naturally, but she still doesn’t break her stare. Nothing else is said before Caduceus returns.</p>
<p>“Would you like to sit at the table, or would you prefer the couch? I’m not sure we will have enough chairs for everyone, but I certainly won’t mind sharing.” </p>
<p>“You’re fucking gigantic,” Nott spews out. Beau chokes on air, but the firbolg just laughs.</p>
<p>“Thank you, I think. You are, uh… pretty small.” He wears a gentle smile, and somehow the pink hair and grey skin and obscene height feels like the most calming, natural combination in the world. </p>
<p>“Everyone, this is Caduceus. Cad, the loud-mouthed creature is Nott, the Brave,” Mollymauk introduces. “The skinny one behind her is-”</p>
<p>“Mr. Caleb,” Caduceus interrupts, but not unkindly. Everyone’s heads swivel to the wizard, who’s face remains carefully blank.</p>
<p>“Mr. Clay,” he responds lightly, then a soft smile appears, “It is… good. To see you again.”</p>
<p>The group stares at Caleb for a while, but he doesn’t say anything else. </p>
<p>“Well!” Molly exclaims, “You could’ve told me you knew each other. Would’ve saved a lot of trouble, I think.”</p>
<p>“How <em> do </em> you know each other?” Beau asks. She tries to keep her tone friendly, but she thinks it might come out a little accusing anyway. She flicks her gaze to Caduceus’s face, trying to gauge his reaction, but she finds he's already looking at her. She starts but maintains the eye contact. He’s still smiling, but his eyes, pink, like his hair, are sharp, sharper than they appear at first. Beau feels seen in a way that is uncomfortable, but not entirely unpleasant. It’s disconcerting, mostly. Clay blinks once and gives her a nod before looking back at the others.</p>
<p>“Mr. Clay owns a shop I visit sometimes,” Caleb says finally.</p>
<p>“That sounds so suspicious!” Jester blurts, finally breaking her atypical quiet, “Is it, like, a sexy shop or something? Oh my gosh, do you sell porn?” </p>
<p>Beau laughs, mostly because she was thinking the same thing, but also because Jester is wiggling her eyebrows and Caleb is flushing a little. </p>
<p>“I run a tea shop,” Caduceus corrects, “And you must be Jester.”</p>
<p>The tiefling gasps, bouncing a little. She seems excited at just how unruffled Caduceus appears. Her voice gets a little louder, her questions arrive a little faster.</p>
<p>“Yes, that’s me, how did you know? Do you read minds? Oh my gosh, what am I thinking?”</p>
<p>“Woah, that’s a lot,” Caduceus chuckles. “I can’t read minds,” he adds, then stops and thinks for a moment, “At least… I don’t think I can. I haven’t tried in a while.” </p>
<p>This makes Jester laugh. She seems satisfied for the moment, so she turns and plops her own bag down on the couch. </p>
<p>“Then, that must mean you’re Beau,” Caduceus says to her, “I’ve heard a lot about you. All of you, actually. It’s so good to finally meet you all.”</p>
<p>They start to settle down after introductions. All of their stuff ends up unceremoniously dumped on the floor to make room for people to sit. Caduceus provides several mismatching teacups, even resorting to an old novelty mug for Molly, before he settles onto the couch. He takes up a good portion of it, almost half with his long legs, one of which he tucks under the other. Molly sprawls out on the other end while he takes care not to spill his tea. Jester has already made herself a little nest on the ground by wrapping the endless supply of blankets around herself and sitting on various pillows. She gestures for Nott, so the goblin slips her hand free from Caleb and sits on Jester’s lap. Beau laughs at the image of Nott’s small figure disappearing behind the folds of blanket after blanket until just the top half of her face peeks out, eyes glowing. Caleb has already grabbed one of the two chairs at the small table and dragged it to form a semi-circle, so Beau takes the armchair for herself. </p>
<p>Jester and Nott are already giggling to themselves already, but Beau can’t hear what they’re saying. The goblin looks more comfortable already, though, so Beau leaves them to it. Tea had always been too floral or too… leafy for her tastes, but Beau takes a sip anyway. </p>
<p>“Hmm.”</p>
<p>“Do you like it?” Caduceus asks upon hearing her quiet hum. Either he had been waiting for her to try it, or he had damn good ears.</p>
<p>“I don’t know yet,” Beau tells him truthfully. “It’s different than most tea I’ve tried before. Which is a good thing, I think. It’s… It’s kinda funky, actually.”</p>
<p>“Ah, that’s probably because it’s made from mushrooms,” the firbolg says, “It’s earthier than most teas, and a bit bitter, but it has some wonderful health benefits.”</p>
<p>“That’s cool. I like it better than I usually like tea, so there’s that.”</p>
<p>“That’s nice,” Caduceus rumbles. Then he leans back on the couch again and takes a deep pull from his own cup. Beau takes this to mean he’s done talking for the moment, so she turns to Caleb.</p>
<p>“I didn’t know you liked tea.”</p>
<p>“You never asked.” It’s a short answer, but Beau hears the meaning underneath it. How would you know? Why would it come up?</p>
<p>“I guess I just didn’t think you were the type. Although, it does kinda lean into the whole grungy student thing,” Beau shrugs. </p>
<p>“I think it makes him seem sophisticated,” Nott pipes up from her position on the ground. “Intelligent people drink tea.”</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m not so sure about that,” Caduceus says. Nott ignores him.</p>
<p>“It makes me think of my professors,” Jester adds, “Which makes sense because Caleb really is the smartest person I know.”</p>
<p>Even Beau can’t deny that. Caleb clears his throat, a slight flush on his cheeks.</p>
<p>“I hate to disappoint, but I usually drink coffee.” </p>
<p>Beau can’t help herself but laugh then, even as Jester rushes to explain how, “oh, no, coffee too, really all hot drinks, except cocoa I guess because it’s so sweet, but I guess sweet coffee exists too,” and Nott diligently adds, “It’s really any drink,” and Molly just laughs along with her. Most of them don’t notice the door open in the commotion, but Molly perks up almost immediately.</p>
<p>“Yasha, darling!”</p>
<p>“Welcome home,” Caduceus adds.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Caduceus. Hello, everybody.”</p>
<p>She looks tired, Yasha does, like she hadn’t been sleeping much recently. She’s so much taller than Beau remembers. Molly jumps from the couch to hug his friend looking so much smaller in her presence. </p>
<p>“Hey, Yasha, do you remember me?”</p>
<p>Jester stands as she says it, leaving Nott completely covered in the blankets that had surrounded her. Yasha smiles softly and nods.</p>
<p>“Of course. Hello, Jester.” Then she looks at Beau. “Hello, Beau.”</p>
<p>Beau nods in response, pleased that she remembered her despite only properly meeting for a few minutes.</p>
<p>“Now that everyone is here,” Jester trills, elongating ‘here’ as she prances over to her abandoned bag, “We can break out the pastries!”</p>
<p>Caduceus decides quickly that beef jerky and various pastries are not a proper meal, so he gathers the abandoned tea cups, including those belonging to Nott and Jester which remain noticeably full, and makes his way into the kitchen again. Molly goes to help him whip something up for the group, seemingly feeling a little bad after he had convinced the firbolg that he wouldn’t have to cook for them only a few hours before.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what they’re talking about, pastries are a perfectly good meal any time of day.”</p>
<p>Jester’s mouth is full as she speaks. She offers a mini banana muffin to Yasha, who takes it and pops it into her mouth in one bite. </p>
<p>“This is a nice place you’ve got, Yasha,” Beau says, “I didn’t know you lived off-campus.”</p>
<p>“Oh. Yes, I moved in with Caduceus last year. I lived with Molly my first year here, but the dorms are… not for me. It’s much nicer to be here.”</p>
<p>“Can I see your room?” Jester asks suddenly. Beau frowns.</p>
<p>“Hey, c’mon, Jessie, she doesn’t need to show us her room.”</p>
<p>“No, it is alright,” Yasha assures, “It’s this way, if you would follow me.”</p>
<p>With permission granted, Beau shrugs and stands from the armchair. She’s curious, so she follows a step behind Yasha and Jester as they walk down the hall. </p>
<p>“This way is my room,” the aasimar explains, “and Caduceus’s is at the other end.”</p>
<p>She opens the door and steps aside. Jester immediately barrels in, Beau follows at a slightly less embarrassing pace. Inside, the room is… Well. It’s simple, honestly, a lot less cluttered than Beau expected. There’s a large bed in one corner, sheets a charcoal grey and made up with a pale blue blanket on one end. The walls are bare, but there’s a bedside table with a vase just absolutely overflowing with different flowers. A couple of books are scattered on the floor next to the bed, some that look like old textbooks, a few paperback romance novels clearly on loan from Mollymauk’s personal library, one that looks like poetry in a language Beau can’t understand, and one black journal with a weathered spine. </p>
<p>“Yasha, your room is so empty!” Jester announces. Yasha blushes a little.</p>
<p>“Oh, well. You know, I don’t spend too much time here, so. Usually it’s just where I sleep. I’ve thought about maybe adding some art, or something, but I just never got around to it.”</p>
<p>“I can paint you something, if you want?” Jester offers. Yasha seems surprised, but immediately pleased.</p>
<p>“I think I would like that very much.”</p>
<p>“Of course! I’ll make something to liven it up a little.”</p>
<p>“I like the colors,” Beau interjects, “It’s very… cool.”</p>
<p>“Thank you. Molly gave me the blanket. He said it matches my eye, but I think he really just wanted to add color to my room.”</p>
<p>The last of the sun filters through a large, open window and illuminates the space. Everything is bathed in a lovely shade of pinkish red. Beau’s breath catches in her throat as she watches Jester wiggle a little while humming to herself, no doubt trying to figure out the best piece of artwork to create for her new friend. The light crawls along the walls, a simple beauty that Beau can’t tear her eyes away from. </p>
<p>“I think there’s plenty of color,” she says quietly, reverently. Yasha smiles at her, watches her eyes linger on the shifting sunshine.</p>
<p>“I think so, too,” she answers back just as softly. “Caduceus used to live in this room, actually. He let me take it from him because I would spend so much time watching the sunset in here. He said it was because the other room had better lighting throughout the day for his window garden, but, you know. I think he really did it for me.”</p>
<p>“That’s nice of him,” Beau says, though she’s not surprised. Yasha has an effervescent calm about her in this moment. </p>
<p>“Yes. He’s very kind.”</p>
<p>The quiet returns, even Jester’s energy seems dampened in this room. They stay like that for a short while longer before Molly’s voice calls to tell them that their makeshift dinner is ready.</p>
<p>“That was fast!” Jester calls back, but she hurries from the room anyway, grabbing Beau’s arm and pulling her along with her. “Beau, what do you think I should paint for Yasha? I know it’s got to be colorful but I also think it should be <em> classy </em> , so I don’t think my, you know, <em> usual </em> stuff is going to work.” </p>
<p>The usual stuff typically involved sparkles, rainbows, unicorns, and dicks.</p>
<p>“You’re probably right.” </p>
<p>“Hmm…”</p>
<p>They make it back to the main living area of the apartment. Caduceus seems to have whipped up a very simple fruit-and-veg salad with spinach, strawberries, mandarin oranges, and-</p>
<p>“Is that kale?” Beau asks, stepping closer as the firbolg puts the frankly enormous bowl on the table.</p>
<p>“Yes. I promise it’s delicious,” Mollymauk takes a large scoop and dumps it on a plate for himself as if to punctuate his statement.</p>
<p>“I have some pine nuts and other seeds, too, but I wasn’t sure if anyone was allergic. I grew most of this myself, and the dressing is homemade.” </p>
<p>Well. Shit. Now Beau has to at least try it. She picks a plate for herself and takes a tentative portion. Caduceus smiles at her warmly and the others line up behind her to do the same. </p>
<p>Nott, pointedly polite as ever, utters a simple, “Thank you for making this for us, Mr. Clay,” even though Beau and everyone else knows that her goblin palette prefers meats and grains to fruits and vegetables. </p>
<p>“You are very welcome, Miss Nott,” Caduceus answers amicably. It would make Fjord cry to know that the goblin was the one best upholding common etiquette, Beau thinks mildly. She spears a few leaves onto her fork, finishing it off with a small chunk of strawberry before shoving the whole thing in her mouth at once. No need to hesitate, she thinks, best to get it over with. As soon as it hits her tongue, she snaps her head in Cad’s direction.</p>
<p>“Holy <em> shit,” </em> Beau mumbles, mouth full, <em> “ </em> This is fucking amazing. How did you make <em> kale </em> taste like real food?”</p>
<p>Molly laughs, singsongs, “I told you so,” and dodges the piece of orange- canned, Beau notices, not that she expected Caduceus to grow oranges in his free time as well- that she throws his direction. She’ll pick that up later. </p>
<p>“Fresh vegetables always taste better,” Caduceus says simply, “And when you’ve been doing it a while, like I have, it’s much cheaper to grow your own food. I don’t eat meat, either, so you just uh… you get creative with the recipes. Every once in a while, I stumble onto something good.”</p>
<p>“You grow all this on your windowsill?” Jester asks incredulously. She’s eating with a fervor typically saved for her baked goods, but the salad dressing is tangy and sweet and she seems to have taken to it. Caduceus laughs.</p>
<p>“No, actually my family owns a community garden. I have my own small plot there, but everyone shares what they grow. Yasha keeps a nice bed of wildflowers, herself.”</p>
<p>“Flowers are pretty,” Yasha bashfully admits. </p>
<p>Eventually the group shifts to the floor. Jester turns on the old television and flips to some classic romance movie as they finish up their meals. Beau notices Nott eats no more than a few bites of the salad before she starts picking strawberries and putting them on Caleb’s plate. The wizard watches this happen, head shifting to follow each movement, with a shy appreciation. He thanks her quietly and she smiles at him. Beau twists from her seat and stretches to hook a finger around her backpack, tugging it towards her. Ruffling inside, she finds one of the packs of beef jerky and takes it out. Something catches her eye, and she realizes there’s a small bag of bacon leftover from a few days ago sitting there too. The whole thing is crushed, the bacon inside broken into fractures, and old meat is pretty gross anyway, but Beau shrugs and tosses them both to the goblin anyway. Nott has never been picky. The goblin deftly catches them both and immediately tears into them, so Beau figures she doesn’t mind.</p>
<p>Beau doesn’t care much for the movie so she starts gathering the dishes. Caduceus is way more invested in the old romance than she would’ve expected, but she uses his distraction and meets Yasha’s insistence that she doesn’t have to clean up with a sharp look to keep the woman seated before heading into the kitchen. Soft footsteps follow behind her.</p>
<p>“Yasha, I mean it, you don't have to-” Except it’s not Yasha, it’s Caleb, and the sentence dies prematurely. “Oh.”</p>
<p>“Yes. Sorry to disappoint.” The words are modest, but dry, and he keeps on his path to place the different teacups on the counter. Beau scoffs and turns on the water to start doing dishes. It actually would be nice to have help cleaning up after the seven of them, even if it won’t be particularly hard. Still.</p>
<p>“You don’t want to watch the movie?”</p>
<p>“Believe it or not, I have seen it already. It is, em… difficult to enjoy a second time, for me,” Caleb says. He finds a dish towel hanging from the small oven and picks it up with one hand. The other hand gestures vaguely to his head, and it clicks for Beau.</p>
<p>“Oh, right. Must kinda suck being able to remember all the details of a movie or show or something. Not really any rewatch value.”</p>
<p>“It is not always so bad,” he says, “There are some stories I will repeat, but they are usually books. Besides, there are benefits to a memory like mine.”</p>
<p>“Mm,” Beau acknowledges. She hands him a plate. They don’t know where everything goes, but Caleb stacks the dishes into neat piles as he goes. “You’ve been quiet tonight. Well, quieter than usual, maybe.”</p>
<p>Caleb doesn’t look at her, but Beau didn’t really expect him to anyway. It used to annoy her, but, then again, she used to be a lot easier to annoy, when she understood him less and took things as a personal affront. </p>
<p>“I am not so good with big groups,” he says finally. The fact that seven isn’t that big of a group goes unsaid. “I thought about leaving, but Nott seems happy, and Jester was so excited.”</p>
<p>“Don’t,” Beau says, “Don’t leave. No one cares if you’re quiet. They’re happy you’re here. It’s honestly probably good for you to get out, be around people.”</p>
<p>Caleb laughs, just once. </p>
<p>“You’re probably right. I’m here now, anyhow. I won’t leave.” They finish up the last of the post dinner cleanup, at least to the best of their ability, and Beau turns off the water. Caleb looks at her. He looks tired, she thinks, but in a way that’s more relaxed than she’s seen in a long time. </p>
<p>“They’re good people,” Caleb says with finality. Then, “We should probably go back.”</p>
<p>When they do return to the group, Jester has made good on her promise. Nail polish litters the floor, more than Beau has seen in her lifetime, more than she thought could fit in the bag Jester brought. Nott is currently painting Yasha’s nails as Molly and Jester compare and contrast the different colors. Whe notices Beau and Caleb standing at the edge of the makeshift circle they made on the floor, Jester gasps.</p>
<p>“Oh, Beau! Can I braid your hair?”</p>
<p>A thought pops into Beau’s head and she grins before she can stop herself.</p>
<p>“Actually, why don’t you do Caleb’s? His hair is longer than mine, probably.”</p>
<p>It’s not true, not even close, but the comment has the intended effect. Caleb stares at her owl-eyed as Jester shoots up shouting about what an excellent idea that is. Molly grins with the same mischief and offhandedly comments, “What the hell, why not do a full transformation? I can do your make-up if Yash will lend me some of hers.”</p>
<p>Caleb still hasn’t stopped looking at Beau, desperate and betrayed, even as Jester tugs him over to sit in front of her. She would worry that she had gone too far, except that there’s a thin blush on his cheeks rather than an anxious paleness and he doesn’t resist the tiefling as she more or less dumps him on the floor in front of the couch. </p>
<p>“You’re going to look sooo pretty, Caleb, oh my gosh,” she says. The wizard makes eye contact with Nott, who is standing next to him as he paints Yasha’s nails, uninterrupted. His unspoken plea for help goes unheeded, however.</p>
<p>“I can do your nails for you, Lebby,” the goblin says and Caleb blinks at her once before sighing in defeat. By the end of the night, Caleb’s hair is done up in a half-bun, braids running across his crown and even leading to his beard. Nott has dotted the braid with flower beads and other shiny baubles that she keeps pulling out from seemingly nowhere. It reminds Beau of the sea glass in her pocket which she toys with from time to time, wondering where Nott keeps everything she always seems to have on her. </p>
<p>Caleb isn’t alone in his make-over, though. Jester let Nott try using make-up for the first time on her, and Beau’s actually fairly impressed with the application, even if the colors clash with both each other and the tiefling’s blue skin. Jester loves it, anyway, just like she loves everything that’s colorful and a little silly. The goblin would only let Caleb touch her hair, so he put it into two simple braids down either side of her head. Yasha poked the smaller girl on the shoulder, causing Nott to shriek a bit until she saw that Yasha was offering two small flowers, likely taken from the overstuffed vase in her room. Beau hadn’t even noticed she left. </p>
<p>Beau herself finally gave in to Jester and let her roommate put her hair into a fish braid along the top. She has to admit it looks pretty dope with her undercut. Molly spends an ungodly amount of time doing his nails, free painting rainbow stripes on each individual nail, and even Caduceus got his hair done before he retired early for the night. Seeing as it was the early hours of the morning by the time everyone finished, his instincts that he should dip out early were well-founded, especially seeing as he had to be up early for work. </p>
<p>“I’d say our first sleepover was successful, Jessie,” Beau says when they all settle down again. Jester giggles and yawns.</p>
<p>“That’s because I’m the best at throwing parties,” she says sleepily, “We should do this again.”</p>
<p>“Hopefully I will not become your guinea pig every time,” Caleb softly injects, but it’s lighthearted and quiet as he tries not to wake Nott, who fell asleep on his stomach nearly half an hour ago. </p>
<p>“Don’t worry, Caleb,” Beau soothes, “Next time you can help us with Fjord.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was really fun to write, but I swear Things Will Actually Happen in this fic lol. We'll get to that soon, I promise!</p>
<p>Also, as a side note, in case it wasn't clear I almost never edit these things properly.... Hopefully there's not too many glaring issues. Let me know what you think, and I will see you all soon! (Alternatively, you can hit me up on tumblr @braveisnott)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Secret Meet-Ups</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I should mention a few things: firstly, I'll be using Nott in this story, as opposed to Veth, because she's currently a goblin (at least for now!). Then, also, I use both she/her and they/them pronouns for Dairon because I'm pretty sure that's what the cast has said they use. </p><p>Anyway, this is a bit of a shorter update, sorry! I'm hitting the end of the semester, and even though I'm home the assignments are really piling up. Still, I wanted to put something up, so I hope you enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Are you staying here over winter break?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The heavy paint smell always makes Beau feel sleepy when she visits Jester in her art lab. Dust twirls through the air, catching light, and were it not for the harsh edge of the table digging into her thigh where she’s leaning, the whole space would feel almost dreamlike. That was probably why she felt comfortable bringing up the impending end of the semester, which she had been thinking about near non-stop since the day of their sleepover last week. It helped that Jester is currently focused on painting her final project, too. Things always feel easier when no one's eyes are on her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually, mama got me tickets to go home! I’m pretty excited about it, especially since, you know, I haven’t gotten to see her for such a long time. I can’t wait to tell her all about school, and classes, and my friends and stuff!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At this, Jester swivels around in her stool, paintbrush in hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m gonna tell her all about you, Beau, don’t worry,” she says as she reaches out to dot a swatch of paint on Beau’s cheek. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Somehow, I’m more worried now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh Beau, I’ll only say nice things! Like how you’re really smart, and super strong and stuff. And I’ll tell her about how you’re a Criminal Justice major and how you’re gonna become a spy or whatever…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jester had taken to painting little flowers on her hand with the excess pink on her brush as she rambles. Beau smiles, but Jester’s answer still settled unpleasantly in the back of her mind. The tiefling keeps chattering even as she twirls around and dabs more paint on her brush again, leaving Beau to zone out in her thoughts again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The thing is, she couldn’t make it home without talking to her parents about it first. She doesn’t have a car, doesn’t know anyone who lives nearby. But the thought of it being </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> who breaks the two-and-a-half month long radio silence chafes at her, and she doesn’t even know if she wants to go home. Rather, she knows she would </span>
  <em>
    <span>hate </span>
  </em>
  <span>being home, restricted again after finally tasting real freedom. But… Well. She kind of, sort of wishes that they would ask her to come back, anyway. It’s the sort of feeling that seeps into her thoughts, dyes them in ill-placed nostalgia and longing for something she never really had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A sigh escapes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should head out, Jessie. I’ve gotta mean Dairon in a few, and they’re scary when I’m late.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, bye!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The walk to the Cobalt Soul Administration and Archive helps clear out the haziness of the art room. Beau has always felt better when her body is moving, and the chilly air makes her feel sharp again. Who cares about if her shitty parents don’t talk to her anymore? They pay for her school, and she prefers that over the alternative any day. She switches her train of thought to her meeting instead. Dairon never makes it clear what she wants to talk about, only that the meetings are mandatory, but Beau hopes that it’s not another lesson. Their morning work-out still has her sore in places she didn’t even know existed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, she bounds up the stairs two at a time until she reaches the third floor. Something about taking the elevator feels like cheating now, especially in the building where she does the majority of her exercise. Dairon’s office door is cracked, the tell-tale sign that Beau is good to go inside. She raps a knuckle once before entering. Dairon glances up as she does, and Beau takes a second to be grateful that they’re not in their work-out gear and this probably isn’t about to become another afternoon of reflex testing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Dairon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take a seat, Beau.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It always reminds her of getting called to the principal’s office, sitting in Dairon’s office. Her walls are distinctly austere, with the only framed degrees to break up the stark white paint. The large mahogany desk is only slightly better, and only because the wood itself has carved designs along the corners. The only thing that looked like it had been chosen for the occupant whatsoever is the large, comfortable-looking desk chair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beau clears her throat. “So, what’s this about?” The elf gives her a once over, like always. Beau sits up and fights not to straighten her clothing, like always.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Finals are next week.” Never one to belabor the point, Dairon. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. I’ve been studying.” It’s not a lie, exactly, but it doesn’t really represent the half-assed attempts at looking over her notes or re-reading the textbook very well. Beau tries not to feel guilty. She has a whole week left, after all! Plenty of time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Dairon says. Beau knows she probably can tell that her “studying” contains a lot more time scrolling through Wikipedia articles than it should, but the elf doesn’t bring anything up. “Your midterm grades were… acceptable. Good even. But I know you can do better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a testament to their relationship that Beau knows they actually mean they have confidence in her skills, and not that they expected more of her. She nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, of course. But, uh. Not to be, like, dismissive, I guess, but… Is that it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her question is met with silence and a sharp stare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just mean, I feel like you could’ve put that in an email. Just saying…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dairon breathes out through her nose, but Beau thinks she saw a microsecond of a smirk before it twitched away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right. There is something else,” she affirms as she picks up a single paper and slides it across the desk. Beau picks it up, throwing it a quick glance. She squints. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a list of courses I want you to take next semester. Before you clench your fist and argue at me, there are many options for you to choose from, and I did consider the classes you would find the most interesting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beau snaps her mouth shut. She takes a better look at the list in front of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to choose now, but you should have a schedule by the end of the week.  I’ve taken the time to list the professors that I consider best and the time slots for when they teach each class.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Beau stalls, “Uh. Thanks. I’ll look it over and get back to you by Friday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good. There’s one more thing, and then you can go enjoy your afternoon. If it’s possible, I’d like for you to keep Thursday afternoons open for a weekly work study with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A work study?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It would be like an extension of morning lessons,” Dairon explains, “Only you would also be assisting me in my work with the Archive. You would also be paid for it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Paid?” Beau asks excitedly, then, “Wait, I would have to work at the Archive?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dairon smiles a little at this and nods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. It’s typically simple tasks, but I can also use the time to teach you other skills.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beau frowns, “You want me to be a librarian? What, are you going to teach me book preservation?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was thinking more like lockpicking. Tailing people. Cover stories, that sort of thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beau finds herself stunned silent. The retort she had in mind fizzles out until she can only gape at her advisor. Part of her thinks this can’t be real, that Jester’s constant jokes that she’s becoming a government agent have finally addled her brain. The more reasonable part of her thinks this is </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking incredible</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re gonna teach me how to spy on people?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to teach you how to be an operative.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All the early morning work-outs, the high expectations for her grades, even having to work in a library suddenly seems completely worth it. Dairon is still smiling smugly, clearly pleased to have surprised Beau into quiet acceptance. She can’t help it. She hadn’t even known this is something she wanted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll, uh. I’ll try and keep my Thursday’s free, then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great. Oh, and Beauregard?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t tell anyone about this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. Of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-- </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Holy dick tits, you really are going to be a spy, Beau!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The group gathered at Beau’s favorite pizza joint after she shot them all a message in the group chat Jester had made for them. Well, most of them had, although Molly had to work and Caduceus had slipped out before Jester could get his number from him the night of the sleepover. Only Fjord and Jester had replied to her hastily sent string of question marks and exclamation points with the message “Meet at the pizza place next to Pumat’s,” but Nott, Caleb and Yasha showed up all the same. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"C'mon Jessie, keep it down!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you’re saying that your advisor told you to keep it a secret that she’s gonna teach you some dope ass monk shit, and you lasted, what, twelve minutes? Before immediately telling everyone you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, Fjord. It’s not everyone,” Beau retorts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is suspicious as hell,” Nott squints, “She’s just gonna teach you how to do all this illegal stuff?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Cobalt Soul trains students for a subsection of the government, built to check the others and root out corruption. It’s very impressive that Beauregard was selected, let alone has gotten this far.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beau stares at Caleb as he speaks. She hadn’t met anyone at Zadash who had heard about the Cobalt Soul program before she told them, let alone knew what it did. But, she thinks, as a grad student, Caleb has been here the longest. It sort of makes sense that he would’ve learned about it eventually, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yasha speaks for the first time since her arrival, having scarfed down a truly upsetting amount of her Meat-and-Ranch lovers pizza. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it sounds pretty cool. I think you’ll, you know. Do a good job.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Yash,” Beau grins. It feels good to be acknowledged like this. Publically. She’s proud of herself. It’s a new feeling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you get to wear a super cool and sexy uniform?” Jester asks but Beau just shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think so. It’s probably just, like, normal clothes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They continue to ask her questions, some she answers, some she can’t, for the next twenty or so minutes. Any shame at telling them gets washed away as the conversation ebbs and flows until they sit in a post-food sleepy contentment. It’s only after they’ve gathered their coats and started out the door when Nott pipes up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can pick locks, you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone stares at her. Well, almost everyone. Caleb keeps walking calmly with his eyes on the ground in front of him.</span>
</p><p><span>“Whaaaaat?!” Jester yells, “You can? Why?”</span><span><br/>
</span> <span>“I do it all the time!” Nott shrills back.</span></p><p>
  <span>“That didn’t answer why,” Fjord points out, but Beau smoothly ignores that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, you’ve gotta teach me. I’ll impress Dairon by being a pro before she can even teach me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Won’t that make her think you’re a delinquent?” Jester asks, “Or does she already think so? Does she like that about you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doesn’t matter, I don’t think I could teach you anyway.” Beau snaps her head back to look at Nott.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Why not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just something you feel! I couldn’t even teach Caleb and he’s brilliant.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I’m plenty smart, fuck off,” Beau retorts while she flicks her middle finger at the goblin. Nott just sticks her tongue out at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seriously, does nobody care why Nott knows how to pick locks?” Fjord insists in exasperation. Caleb just keeps walking, eyes down, but he’s smiling again. The girls look at each other, Yasha looking thoughtful, Jester joyous. They look back at Fjord and shrug. The half-orc gorans. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course you don’t. You all are heathens, I swear.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Let me know what you think. I'm soft for the m9 rn as I wait patiently for current events to calm down and critical role to return... If anyone wants to chat about them, I'd love to listen lol</p><p>I should mention that Beau not having a class schedule for the next semester by this point is almost as unrealistic as a having government-sanctioned spy training at a major university. Oh well!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Let me know what you think! Hopefully posts will be fairly consistent for the next little while, so see you soon.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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